100
Black Men of North Metro Inspire Students at North
Springs Charter High School

26
members of 100 Black Men of North Metro spent
Tuesday, Feb. 1, in classrooms at North Springs
Charter High School, inspiring and encouraging
students and officially kicking off Black History
Month at NSCHS.

According
to John Caine, a Sandy Springs resident, active
mentor and education supporter whose two children
are NSCHS graduates, “100 Black Men began because
professional black men wanted to provide service as
mentors and educators; especially because very few
men are visible in education. “ For Caine, an
electrical engineer with an MBA in marketing and
finance, “being in the classroom is what I love. I’m
really a closet teacher. I tell students to
recognize their dreams, work towards them and never
let anyone take their dream away; their dream must
be their own, not their parents, not their coaches.”

Caine’s
passion for mentoring was echoed by Brian Hooper,
another 100 member who graduated from North Springs
in 1995, and is studying for his upcoming bar exam.
”I’ve learned there are two kinds of people-
those who say our youth need us and that’s it, and
others who say let me do something about it.”
Hooper also mentors regularly at North Springs. “I
want to expose students to all their possibilities;
there are so many. When I was in high school, I didn’t
fully realize that.”

Dwight
Kelly, the Chapter’s President and retired
pharmaceutical executive told students in his
session that “it’s important to stay in school,
work hard and find your passion. If you love what
you’re doing, it’s never a job.” To senior
Justin Fisher, who will be attending Boston’s
Berklee School of Music, this was music to his ears.
“Mr. Kelly had a lot of good information about
career choices for the future and I know what he
means about finding your passion.”

Math
department chair Tracey Enright was appreciative her
students had the opportunity to hear from the 100
Black Men. In her classroom, Kelly and Caine also
gave real world examples of how math is needed in
careers today. “All my students benefited,” she
said.//

100
Black Men was founded in New York City in 1963.
Today, the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. has 116
chapters and more than 10,000 members who positively
impact the lives of more than 100,000 youth
annually. The Sandy Springs Education Force is a
partner with 100 Black Men of North Metro.

North
Springs Charter High School located at 7447 Roswell
Rd. in Sandy Springs is home to the only dual arts
and sciences magnet program in Georgia. More
information is available at www.northspringshigh.com.